What’s on Tap This Weekend: Bell’s Hopslam – Part 1 of the Holy IPA Trinity

“What’s On Tap?” is our weekly feature on beers we think you’ll like, written by By The Professor JW Faulkner. You can follow him on Twitter here @EngProfJW.

This week, you are in for a special treat. Not only do I get to drink this fantastic brew but you, yes you, get to read my review and recommendation. This weekend’s beer is consistently one of the most anticipated, sought after and best rated brews in the United States. Actually, every time you crack one open, a deceased beer drinker gets his wings! If you can get your hands on one, you are a lucky bastard and should rub your good fortune in the face of your friends. On tap this weekend is one of my personal favorites, Bell’s Double Indian Pale Ale Hopslam.

Bell’s Brewery might be the biggest reason Kalamazoo, Michigan is a craft beer drinker’s destination of choice. All of their beers are excellent, but of their 15 year-round brews, Hopslam is in a class by itself. If you find yourself loving hoppy, high alcohol by volume IPAs, Hopslam (10% ABV) is a year in and year out must try. As far as IPAs go, it has everything a Hophead wants; it is full of citrus, floral, malt, pine, hoppy sweet flavor that culminates in an in-mouth beer orgasm.

It might seem like I am over-hyping this brew, but that would be impossible. Hopslam is in the Holy Trinity of IPAs, and if the Nazis stole the recipe, Indiana Jones would have been cracking skulls to get it back. (Sidenote: how much better would that POS film Indian Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull have been if Harrison Ford was running around trying to recover beer?) For those who are going to grab a Hopslam this weekend, here is my advice: good luck! But seriously, this is one brew meant to be savored and enjoyed; throw a steak on the grill and as it sears, open a Hopslam and toast your awesomeness (don’t forget to include me in that toast for recommending this brew to you).